Learn Hardcore Japanese: kyanseru no renraku wo hayame ni site kudasai. - Please notify me of the cancellation early.

It links two nouns, making a “Noun A of Noun B” relationship. キャンセルの連絡 literally means “contact/notice of a cancellation,” i.e., a cancellation notice. You could also say キャンセルについての連絡 (“contact about the cancellation”) for extra explicitness.

Why is を used with 連絡? Isn’t 連絡する already a verb?

連絡 is a noun that can take する to become a verb. Both 連絡をする and 連絡する are correct. In this sentence, the して in してください is the て-form of する, so the object is 連絡を. You could also say 早めに連絡してください; both are natural.

Why 早め instead of 早く?

早めに = “on the early side,” “earlier than usual/expected,” a gentle, preferred timing.
早く = “quickly/early” in terms of speed or immediate timing. Saying 早く連絡して can sound like “Hurry up and contact me now,” while 早めに連絡して suggests “Please let us know earlier than you normally would.”

What does に do after 早め?

It turns 早め into an adverb that modifies the action. 早めに = “in an early manner/on the early side.” This is common with the -め suffix: 多めに, 少なめに, 強めに, etc.

Is してください a command? How polite is it?

〜てください is a standard polite request (“please do ~”). It’s directive but not rude. Softer or more formal options include:

〜ていただけますか。
〜てくださいませんか。
〜ようお願いいたします。

Should I add ご before 連絡 or お before 早め?

Yes in formal/customer-facing language:

ご連絡 (honorific prefix for Sino-Japanese nouns) is standard.
お早めに is a set polite phrase. A very common business-style sentence is: キャンセルのご連絡はお早めにお願いいたします。

Can I say 早めに連絡してください instead? Is the word order flexible?

Yes. All of these are natural:

早めに連絡してください。
連絡を早めにしてください。
早めにキャンセルの連絡をしてください。 Placing 早めに earlier can slightly emphasize the “early” part.

What’s the difference between を and は after 連絡 here?

連絡を marks it as the direct object: a neutral request to do the action early.
連絡は topicalizes/contrasts: キャンセルの連絡は早めにしてください can imply “As for cancellation notices (at least), please make them early,” possibly contrasting with other kinds of contact.

Why are there spaces between words? Japanese doesn’t usually use spaces, right?

Correct. Spaces are often added in teaching materials. In normal writing you’d see:

キャンセルの連絡を早めにしてください。 A more formal sign might read:
キャンセルのご連絡はお早めにお願いいたします。

Does 連絡 imply phone calls only?

No. 連絡 is “contact/notification” by any channel—phone, email, message, etc. If you want to specify, add it: お電話でご連絡ください or メールでご連絡ください.

How can I make this even more formal/softer for customers?

Common business variants:

キャンセルされる場合は、お早めにご連絡ください。
キャンセルのご連絡はお早めにお願いいたします。
Softer: キャンセルのご連絡はお早めにいただけますと幸いです。 / …いただけると助かります。

What’s the difference between ください and 下さい in writing?

When used as a request auxiliary, it’s usually written in kana: ください. The kanji 下さい is typically reserved for the main verb “to give” (e.g., 水を下さい = “Please give me water”). Many modern style guides prefer kana for the request form.

Is 早くしてください the same as 早めにしてください?

No. 早くしてください means “Do it quickly/Hurry up,” focusing on speed right now. 早めにしてください means “Do it earlier than usual/by an earlier time,” focusing on scheduling.

Who is the subject in this sentence? Where is “us”?

Japanese often omits pronouns. Here, “you” (the reader/customer) is understood as the one who will contact, and “us” is implied as the recipient. To be explicit, add a target: 当店まで早めにご連絡ください (“Please contact our shop early”).

Is キャンセル always the right word? What about 予約 or 取り消し?

In service contexts, キャンセル is very common. If you want to specify what’s being canceled, you can say ご予約のキャンセル. 取り消し is more formal/literary/administrative and less common in everyday customer messaging.

Can I use お知らせ instead of 連絡?

They differ:

連絡 = reaching out/contact (two-way channel implied).
お知らせ = a notice/announcement to inform others. So キャンセルの連絡 is “your contacting us to cancel,” while キャンセルのお知らせ is “a notice that something is canceled” (often from an organizer to attendees).

What does the suffix 〜め mean in 早め?

It indicates degree/approximation—“on the ~ side,” “somewhat ~.” Other common examples:

多め (a bit more), 少なめ (a bit less), 強め (a bit strong), 薄め (a bit dilute), 大きめ (a bit large). As an adverb, use 〜めに: 砂糖は少なめにしてください. As an adjective-like noun: 早めの出発.

Are there casual equivalents?

Yes:

キャンセルの連絡、早めにしてね。
早めに連絡して。 For friends/peers, dropping ください is normal, and adding ね softens the tone.

How do I say “as soon as possible” here?

You can add intensifiers:

できるだけ早めにご連絡ください。
More urgent/office-like: 早急にご連絡ください。 (早急 = ASAP/urgent)